Door operating



No. 606,640. Patented July 5, I898. H. BENNIK.

DOOR OPERATING APPLIANOE.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Zzf 1.

No. 606,640. Patented July 5, I898. v H. BENNIK. DOOR DPERATiNG APPLIANCE.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

'No. 606,640. Patented July 5, I898.

' u. BENNIK. Y

I DOOR OPERATING APPLIANCE.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1898.) (No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A A M w r Q w l w v w m a w Q W W w w m M w w M opening and closing the door.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

llENDltlK BENNIK, OF HAMBURG, GERMA NY.

DOOR-OPERATING APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,640, dated July 5, 1898.-

i Application filed February 2 1.1898. smart. 671,21I. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, I'IENDRIK BENNIK, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, and a resident of Hamburg, in the German Empire,have invented certain new and useful Improvements. in Door-Operating Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to door-operating appliances; and it has for its object the provision of ,means whereby a door is opened and closed by the weight of a person approaching and leaving the door and whereby the violent closing or slamming thereof is avoided. 1

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the upper part of door and door-framing, illustrating the mechanism for vertical section of a door and its framingfillustrating the door opening and closing mechanism in side elevation and a contact-plate in the form of a door-mat. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, illustrating in plan view the levers operated by the cylinder-piston and adapted to open and close the door. Figs. 4 and 5 are longitudinal sectional views of the compressing-cylinder, showing the controlling-valves in the different positions they assume. Fig. 6' is a sectional fragmentary top plan view. of Fig. 2. Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views, at right angles toeach other, of the contact door-mat, said Fig. 8 also illustrating schematically the electric circuit and the leads for the electromagnet that controls the valves for the compressing-c'ylinden- Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional View of a modified construction of appliances for controlling the valves of the compressingcylinder directly by the weight of a person approaching or leaving a door. Fig. 10 isa' sectional plan of Fig, 9. Fig. 11 is a section taken on line,ll 11 of Fig. 10; and Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the arrangement of the lovers that support the platform or stepping-plate shown in Figs. 9 to 11.

Referring more particularly toFigs. 1 to 3, a indicates a power-cylinder whichmay be rigidly secured to the upper cross-piece of the door-framing A, but is preferably pivotally connected therewith, so as to swing in a horizontal plane, and is thusadapted to yield to Fig. 2 is a or partake of the movements of the door-operating levers, whereby the-opening-and closing of the door B is more effectually accomplished than would be the case otherwise. This powereylinder a, as shown in Fig. l, is arranged some distance from the pivotal axis of the door, so as to reduce the power to be exerted by the operating-levers as much as possible. The cylinder at is closed at both ends and contains apiston b, that works fluid-tight therein, said piston being secured toa rod b, that extends through the outer cylinder-head, and on said rod 1), between the piston and outer cylinder-head, is a power-spring d, that normally holds the piston b at the inner end of v. i,tsoy l in der a and serves to closethe door as soonas said piston is'relieved from pressure.

To the outer end of the piston-rod b is piv-L oted one end of a lever c, suitably bent for the purpose, the other end of said leverbeing pivotally connected with: the door B, and to said leverc,.'near the point of its connection .with the piston-rod b, is pivoted one end of a lever ic',-whose.opposite end is pivoted to the upper cross-piece of the door-frame A. The inner end of the power-cylinder a is connected with a conduit f fora fluid under pressure, means hereinafter referred-to being provided whereby under the weight of a person approachingthe door-B afluid is forced into the power-cylinder a to drive the piston b outwardly,-'thereby causing the lever o to swing outwardly, alsoto open the door, the lever o actingv here asa shifting-fulcrum for the-le-' ver 0 and as a brace and guide for the eylinden a, which partakes of the movements of the levers c c by swinging on its pivot.

As the piston 12 moves outward to open the door the power spring cl is brought under tension, so that when the said piston is released from pressure the said spring will return the piston to its normal position, thereby closing the door. It is obvious that if the conduit f is supplied with afluid under sufficient pressure to move the piston against the stress of the power-spring d and the proper means are provided to again relieve said piston from such pressure the door will first be opened by the pressure 'of the fluid and then closed by the power-spring d. ous that as soon as the piston b is relieved from fluid-pressure the fluid will cushion the It is furthermore obvipist'on b and thus prevent the door from being too violently shut under the action of the power-spring d. Hence the dooroperating appliances also perform the function of a doorcheck.

The devices which control the door-operating appliances and which are themselves'controlled by the weight of a person approaching and leaving the'door to be opened and closed maybe operated electrically or mechanically.

' Iwill first describe the electrically-convere cold, so as to prevent the, liquid, if such be used as a means for actuating the piston e, from freezing. The cylinder E is open at one end, and to its opposite end is connected the pipe f, both the latter and the cylinder E being filled with preferably a non congealable liquid, as glycerin, when said pipe is exposed to freezing temperatures, the piston e being normally located in said open end of the cylinder, to which is secured a valve chest or casing g, which forms practically an extension of cylinder E. Axially within the valve-"casing g is formed an exhaust-passage connected with an exhaust-pipe h, the closed end of which passage proximate to the open cylinder endforins an abutment for the piston e; and in said passage is formed a port and valve-seat for a valve 1'.

vided with a second or supply passage, which The casing g is prois connected by a pipe h to a source of supply of a liquid under pressure, and in said supplypassage is likewise formed a port for a valve 1' on a line with the port for the exhaust-valve 1",.

said admission-port leading into the annular space around the exhaust-passage within the valve-casing. Thetwo valves i and 'i' are secured to a valve-spindle i, which passes through the aforesaid exhaust-passage and through a suitable stufiing-box,while the upper end of the valve-spindle has motion in a suitably-packed cap. On the spindle 1:, between the valve 1' and st ufling-box, is mounted a coiled spring it, that holds the admissionvalve i normally to its seat and the exhaustvalve 1' off its seat, Fig. 4. The valve'spindle 1? projects from the stutfing-box and is connected with the armature p'- of an electromagnet 10. a

It is obvious that when the electromagnet p is energized and its armature attracted the valve i will be unseated and the valve 11 seated, thereby opening the admission-port and closing the exhaust-port. Liquid under pressure or under a suflicient head will thus be admitted to the valve-casing g, and acting upon the piston e will force the same outwardly,

Fig. 5, thereby compressing the liquid in pipe f, which liquid will force the piston bin the power-cylinder a outwardly against the stress of its power-spring d to open the door B. As soon as the electromagnet p is demagnetized the spring is will move the valvespindle back to its normal position,thereby closing theadmission-port and opening the exhaust-port, Fig. 4, and as thepiston e in cylinder E as well as the piston b in power; cylinder a are now relieved from pressure the power-spring'd will drive the said piston b inwardly to .close the door, thereby forcing the liquid in said power-cylinder back into the pipe f and cylinder E, thus causing the piston E in the latter cylinder to also move back to its normal position, the liquid between the two pistons acting as a cushion for piston 1), thereby preventing the door from being violently closed. The electromagnet p is included in an electric circuitor in a shunt thereof, which circuit is closed and interrupted by the weight of a person approaching and leaving the door to be operated, the main circuit-closing device being preferably in the form of a double mat L, Figs. 6, 7, and 8, extending across the door-sill to opposite. sides of the door, though two such mats, one on each side of the door, may be 6m loyed. This mat L is made of two layers Z of electricallynon-conductive material, as rubber, and between said layers are arranged a number of circuit-closing devices in such manner that the circuit will remain closed so long asa person stands on the mat on either side of the door. These circuit-closing devices are of a well-known construction and consist of contact-springs m, Figs. 7 and 8, similar to the well-known bell contact-sprin gs, adapted-to automatically break contact as soon .as' relieved from the weight of a person stepping on the mat. These contact-springs are included in parallel in the circuit n of a suitable generator of electricity, as a battery n, Fig. 8, in which circuit is included a relay 0', connected by wires 0 with the aforementioned electroma net 1), so that when a person steps upon t e mat at-either side of the door B the electric IIO circuit will be closed and a current of sufficient amperage sent through the relay 0' to the electromagnet p forthe purposes hereinabove stated. 1 I

Instead of operating the controlling-valves i and i electrically, the said valves may be controlled mechanically. or directly by the weight of a person approachiiiga door, and instead of maintaining the pipe fand cylinder E constantly filled with a liquid such liquid may be completely exhausted from said pipe and cylinder at each reversal of the valves. This arrangement I have shown-in Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive, so that in fact the compressing-cylinder E and its piston e can be dispensed with, the valve-casing g alone being used and provided, preferably, with a conical head, to which the pipe f is connected, as shown in Fig. 9. Themat L is here replaced by a rigid platform L, resting directly on the valvespindle 17, so that a person stepping on said platform from either side of the doorwillfdepres's the same, thereby seating that said platform-is "free to -oscillate on said spindle,*as "is necessaryfor the proper operation of the"valves; The operation of the doo 'inth a iansemeet is p ci ly e m :as in the arrangement'described in're'lation the liquid is exhausted frompipef at each reversal of. the oontrolli'ng-t-alves'ii, the liq uid here also acting as a cushion for the pis-' ton'b in the power-cylin der a; as. will be readily.

understood;

jIn order that th'e pl tform L may be auto 'matically return ed to "a normal position" corresponding-with the normal position of the controlling valv'es and '6, (shown-and describedin connection with-Fig.-'4,) the said' platform is supported'from knife-edge bearings at-the outer' ends of 'four'levers 1', extending from the'center' of the platform-to its corne-rs,'said levers having their .fulcra on similar bearings q,-Fig."11; The inner-ends of the four'levers r,are'-weigl1ted, so as'to tilt the outer ends thereof and support the plat form L in anormal'elevated positionb- The manner of weighting or loadingthe inner ends of the levers is shown in Fig. 12, a single A weight S, common to all-the converging inner ends of said levers, being employed. The weight- S, which maybe a' block, of lead or other sufficiently 'ponderous body, has four intersecting notches or recesses 8 formed in its upper face,one'for the end of each of the four levers r, and centrally of theweight is an aperture 8, leading frointhe point of intersection of the recesses into a socket of the weight, in which is fitted a block 25, held in place by a clamping-plate aga' washer y of a flexible or elastic material, as rubber, and a screw-bolt w, as follows: In the block tis formed a central downwardly-tapering or conical opening, into which fits a correspond-t ingly-shaped block c, that has a'central screwthreaded hole for the aforementioned screw- 'bolt, which passes freely through the clamping-plate w and washer y. To the inner end of each of thefour leversr is secured a wire cable u or the like of such a length as to extend down intothe conical or tapering aperture in" block '0,- by means of which and the 'bolt to said cables-are firmly wedged in said block, the

V clamping-plate w and washer y being of such dimensions as toform a support for the weight S. I

To prevent any possibility of slipping of the cables u, they may be made sufficiently long as to admit of their being bent under the block 6 and become embedded in the rubber Washer 'y when the parts '0 y a: are secured together by the bolt w, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 12.

Of courseinstead of a liquid any other fluid under pressure may be used.

What I claim as myinvent-ion, and desireto -secure by Letters Patent, is-

the levers c c operated by the piston and adapted to openor close the door according to the'dire'ction of motion' of said piston; of

mea'ns'for ad mitt-ing 'a fluid under pressure to said cylinder to move the piston against the stress of its spring, means for exhausting the fluid from said cylinder, and appliances controlling the admission and exhaust of the fluid to and from said cylinder, said appliances adapted to beopera'tedby the weight of a person approaching the door, and means operating automatically to, return the controlling appliances to a normal position, for the purpose set forth; I

"'2. The combination with a door, a powercylinder on the door-frame, a springcontrolled piston in said cylindenand the levers c c operated by the piston to open or close the door according to the direction of motion of said piston; of a fluid-conduit connected with the cylinder to move the piston by fluid-pressure against the stress of its spring,"a supplypipe adapted to be connected witha source of fluid-su pply under pressure, an exhaust-pipe, each of said pipesprovided'lwith a valve-port in communication with the fluid -conduit, valves for said ports adapted to move together to open one port and close theother or vice versa,and-appliances for-operatin g said valves by the weightof a person approaching the door and to automatically return the valves to a normal position when said appliances are relieved of such weight, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination ,with a door, apowercylinder on the door-frame, a spring-controlled piston in said cylinder, and the levers c c operated by the piston to open orclose the door according to the direction of motion of said piston, of a compressing-cylinder, a conduit containing a liquid connected with one end of the power and compressing cylinders respectively, a supply and exhaust pipe each provided with a valve-port in communication with the. other end of said compressing-cylinder, a valve for each of said ports, said valves adapted to move together, and appliances operated by the weight of a person approaching the door to open the supply-port and close the exhaust-port and to automatically close said supply-port and open the exhaust-port when'said appliances are relieved of such weight, for the purpose set forth.

IIO

4. The combination with a door, a powera cylinder, at fixed support therefor, a springactuated piston in said cylinder levers op-- erated by the piston to open or close the door according to the direction of motion of the piston, a conduit for conducting a fluid under pressure to said cylinder to move said piston against the stress of its spring, a supply and exhaust pipe each provided witha port in communication with said'conduit', and a valve for each of the-ports, said valves having motion together to open one port and close the other or vice versa; of an electromagnet, its armature connected with said valves, an electric circuit, spring-controlled circuit-closing devices at the approaches to the door adapted to be operated by the weight of a person to close the electric circuit, and a relay in said circuit electrically connected with the. aforesaid electromagnet, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with-a door, a powercylinder, a fixed support therefor, a springactuated piston in said cylinder, levers operated by the piston to openor close the door according to the direction of niotion of said piston, a conduit containing a substantially non-congealable liquid connected with one end of said cylinder to move its'piston by the pressure of such fluid against the stress of its spring, a compression-cylinder having one end connected with said conduit, a piston in the last-named cylinder, a supply and exhaust pipe provided each with a valve-port in communication with the other end of the cornpression-cylinder, and a valve for each of said ports, said valves having motion together to open one port and close the other or vice verse; of an electromagnet, its armature connected with said valves, an electric circuit, spring-controlled circuit-closing devices at the approaches to the door adapted to be operated by the weight of a person to closethe electric circuit, and a relay in said circuit electrically connected with the aforesaid electromagnet', for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination with the cylinder E, the supply and exhaust pipes, each having a valve-port in communication with one end of said cylinder, the valves for said ports adapted to move together to close one port and open the other or vice versa, an electromagnet, its armature connected with said valves an electric circuit, the door-mat made of two superposed mats of non-conductive material, a plurality of spring-contacts on the lower mat included in said electric circuit in series, coi'gperating contact-springs on said lower mat adapted to support the upper mat,, and a re-' lay in said electric circuit electrically 'con-' nected with the aforesaid electromagnet, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a door and its framing, of a power-cylinder connected with fluid-pressure to the piston and relieving the same of such pressure to open and close the door, substantially as set'forth.

8. The combination with a door and its f ramin g, of a power-cylinder pivotally secured to said framing to swing in a horizontal plane,

a spring-controlled piston in said cylinder a pair of levers having one of their ends pivotally connected with the framing and door respective1y,'the other ends-of said levers pivotally connected together and to said piston respectively, and means for applying fiuidpressure to the piston and relieving the same of such pressure to open and close the door, substantially as set forth.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two witnesses.

HENDRIK BENNIK. Witnesses: MAX LEMCKE, MAX, KAEMPFF. 

